The Kedah native was in Singapore as a guest speaker at a financialmanagement workshop.

Mr Mohd Arsyad was diagnosed as suffering from spinal muscular atrophywhen he was 4, after he started falling down often at home.

The condition is a genetic disease caused by the loss of nerve cellsin the spinal cord. This affects the part of the nervous system thatcontrols voluntary muscle movement.

Mr Mohd Arsyad's father, Mr Mohd Yusuf Salim, a retiree in his 50s,said: "Doctors recommended physiotherapy for him when he was younger,but there was no cure or medication."

It was hard on the young boy at first.

Said Mr Mohd Arsyad: "When I went to school, my classmates would teaseme because of my disability, and I felt sad and discouraged.

"But my family and relatives encouraged me and said God made me theway I was for a purpose - so I could help and give hope to others."

The second of three children eventually came to terms with hisdisability.

After he completed his Malaysian Certificate of Education (theequivalent of the O levels here) at the age of 17, he took upreligious studies for two years. He then conducted religious classesat home, earning RM100 ($41) a month.

Private lessons

He also took computer lessons at a private school.

Two years ago, he picked up graphic design skills from the Internetand learnt how to write and sell e-books.

"I used to e-mail my designs to my friends and they would ask me todesign their web pages," he said.

"At first, I did it for free, but a relative said I could make moneyfrom it."

So he did.

"Soon I was earning about RM13,000 per month. I use the money to helpsupport my family, and sometimes I give RM1,000 to my parents.

"I also use the money to buy software which I give free toparticipants at my talks."

He advertises his business via e-mail, Facebook, blogs and onlineforums.

In the last two years, he has written and marketed eight e-books -mostly about self-improvement and money management.

Titles include 14 Keys to Open your Mind's Power and The Fundamentalsof Blogging.

Mr Mohd Arsyad claimed to have sold 660 copies of his e-books inMalaysia so far.

"I plan to write another six e-books this year, give more motivationaltalks and expand my business outside Malaysia, probably starting withSingapore."

Mr Mohd Arsyad said he puts in about eight hours of work a day.

He said: "I usually start work at 9am and work four hours in themorning and four hours later in the day.

Mr Mohd Arsyad is not the only person in his family to have toovercome great odds.